Are you aware of the undeniable connection between digestive health and the menstrual cycle? In this episode, TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain unpacks this relationship and explains how the quality of our menstrual cycle is highly dependent on our ability to digest foods. A few points of discussion throughout this episode are: common gut issues that may correlate with certain menstrual issues such as:* absorption + cycle length* the flow of menstrual blood + digestion the link between excess cervical fluid (or none at all) and the digestive system. how a compromised gut may be causing your PMS the importance of gut health in regards to fertility how changing your diet throughout the four phases of the menstrual cycle, can be beneficial to your overall well being.

Are you following the same diet throughout your entire menstrual cycle and left wondering why your appetite seems to fluctuate throughout? Perhaps you experience sugar cravings and inflammation prior to your period alongside this change in appetite. We invite TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain back to the podcast to explore the concept of food as medicine for the menstrual cycle and why it is crucial to eat in sync with the four phases of the menstrual cycle. Implementing simple, positive changes to your diet and gaining knowledge about foods that are beneficial to the menstrual cycle can have a huge impact on the quality of your period and overall health. Listen in to discover a range of foods that you can introduce to cultivate a healthier menstrual cycle.

From a TCM perspective, there is a significant relationship between ovulation and the period; are you aware of how one influences and dictates the other? Knowing whether or not you are ovulating regularly as well as understanding the ideal time of the cycle to be ovulating, is key to fostering a healthy and regular period. We once again called on the knowledge of TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain to discuss how diet and stress (hugely) impact ovulation, as well as other topics of conversation such as the organs that govern and nourish ovulation. Learn how to best nurture your ovulation by tuning in to this episode.

Blood, cervical fluid and hormonal changes. In this episode we invite TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain to discuss the essentials for a healthy menstrual cycle, from a Chinese Medicine perspective. We dive into the four phases of the menstrual cycle and focus on how the period is considered the fifth vital sign for a female. Blood flow, colour and the amount of days bleeding are all elements you should be observing, as well as the different types of cervical fluid throughout the menstrual cycle. Exactly what should your blood and cervical fluid look like and what is happening with your hormones? Tune in to find out more..

In this episode, TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain explains the ideal situation for a healthy gut and why raw foods may be damaging to a compromised digestive system. In this episode we also cover: why you may feel more anxious or tired when consuming raw foods. why so many people perceive raw foods as “healthy”. the fact that enzymes in raw foods won’t be absorbed by your body if your gut is compromised. how food is seen as medicine from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. And .. we even touch on the ‘celery juice trend’ and how this is perceived from a TCM perspective. So, do raw foods work for you? Tune in to find out ..

“The digestive system:- what is it? - how does it function? - what importance does it hold? And does the food we eat actually matter? From a TCM perspective, the gut is the epicentre of our body. It holds immense importance - so much so that we decided to create an episode dedicated to this system. We invited TCM Dr. Lauren Curtain back on the podcast to explain this system in great detail. On this episode we discussed: > Butterflies and bloating - did you know there is a connection between our emotions and the gut? > Exercise; how overdoing it or not moving at all may be compromising your digestive system. > How your inherent constitution may affect your gut health. Perhaps you’re prone to sweating? Or cold extremities? These patterns are unique and of course, connected to the digestive system. There is no one size fits all when it comes to gut health. Oh and did you know that the digestive system is akin to a pot on a stove? Sound intriguing? Tune in to find out more.

This episode is the final part of the Five Elements Series. Do you often experience anger, crave sour tastes or seem prone to shouting lots? Then perhaps learning more about the wood element would be helpful. In this episode, we welcome back the expertise of TCM Dr Lee Smith to educate us on this element and what its correlation with characteristics such as those mentioned above, and its connection to the liver and gallbladder, actually means. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and whether learning about the five elements has been helpful for you!

 

As we have explored in the previous two podcast episodes, each element in TCM is seen as having a series of correspondences, relating both to the natural world and the human body. In this episode, TCM Dr Lee touches on a few of these correspondences such as how metal correlates to the season of Autumn, the lungs and large intestine and the emotion of grief. Do you know someone who finds it hard to let go of certain situations? They’re meticulous, efficient and perhaps they even suffer from symptoms such as constipation and a tight chest … Intrigued? Listen to this short episode to learn more.

Welcome to episode two of the Five Elements series where we welcome back TCM Dr Lee Smith to discuss the earth element. Again, we asked Lee to describe a typical “Earth” person by covering components such as the season, emotion, organs, sound and taste that are related to the earth element. Constantly overthinking, worried and concerned for others? The Earth element embodies the Mother archetype - picture someone who nurtures others and wants to provide. Have a listen to see if you think you, or someone you know, may identify with the earth element.

Together with the theory of Yin-Yang, covered in our introductory episode, the theory of the Five Elements constitutes the basis of Chinese Medicine.

For episode one of this five-part series, we invite the expertise of TCM Dr Lee Smith to explore the fire element. We start the episode by discussing the overall concept of the Five Elements, to ensure we have our foundational knowledge up to scratch, before exploring the individual elements. Lee then covers what involves the fire element such as the colour, season, organs and emotions.

We also asked him to explain a typical “fire” person; loud, excited, passionate and always laughing, perhaps you’ll resonate?

To round off our series on the pathogenic factors we invite TCM Dr. Lee Smith back to discuss dryness. Although less common, this factor can manifest in ways that are uncomfortable and of a nuisance. From cracked skin and lips to a dry cough with little or no phlegm, perhaps you have experienced symptoms similar to these? Often associated with hot and humid climates, thus adding an element of damp, it can be a tricky one to move. But with the help of Lee, we discover ways in which the amount of dryness can be reduced in the body, as well as the various lifestyle factors, emotions and foods that can exacerbate it.   If you have any further questions about these pathogenic factors and symptoms you may be experiencing, touch base with us on Instagram or by sending us an email. 

Capable of taking on many different forms in the body, the pathogenic factor of wind involves similar characteristics in the body to those in nature.

Think symptoms such as spasms, tremors, ticks, fungal infections and flu-like symptoms; a familiar condition related to wind is the common cold. On a more severe note, when combined with other external pathogens such as heat or cold, these disharmonies can transform to show as fever, sore throat, dry mouth and thick yellow phlegm.

It is said that an invasion of cold will be of sudden onset, leaving one with potential symptoms such as headaches, chills, aches and potentially vomiting and diarrhoea. Not pleasant to say the slightest!

In today’s episode, TCM Dr. Lee Smith delves into the pathogenic factor of cold, explaining how one may acquire, experience and then aim to reduce it.

Stress, emotions, diet and lifestyle are all contributing factors here.

Listen in to see whether your daily regime is contributing to or preventing the invasion of cold.

Following on from our previous episode on damp, this episode covers the pathogenic factor of heat.

In this episode we ask TCM Dr. Lee Smith how heat is viewed from a Chinese Medicine perspective and how one may attain it. Lee speaks of certain symptoms of heat such as dry skin, constipation, scanty urination and agitation and not only how one may acquire heat through lifestyle factors, but also how one may reduce and rectify it.

Wondering if heat may be invading you? Tune in to find out more

In Traditional Chinese Medicine there are considered to be numerous external causes of disharmony that relate to climatic conditions. They are known as the ‘pathogenic factors’.

Today’s episode is an introduction to these pathogenic factors as we discuss one that you may be all too familiar with; Damp. You may have heard us mention this factor previously, or perhaps you are hearing about it for the first time. If you’re not digesting food well and therefore experiencing symptoms such as mucus, inflammation, cellulite and brain fog - dampness may be your worst enemy. Either way, the knowledge shared by TCM Dr. Lee Smith throughout this episode is sure to be helpful in identifying whether one has damp causing disharmony in the body.

Tune in to learn more about the characteristics of damp, how one may attain it through lifestyle factors and how one may feel when affected by it.

A common statement for this topic we are about to delve into is “I never used to feel like this”. Perhaps this resonates for you and you feel as if your body never used to be the way it is now - you’re not alone!

For this episode we invited TCM Dr. Lee Smith back to the episode to explore the concept of constitutional Vs acquired weakness. Lee explains what a constitutional weakness is and in comparison, how a weakness may be acquired. Here, Lee touches on potential major events, such as pregnancy, that have the ability to change one’s constitutional weakness to an acquired. Lee also covers what elements need to be addressed when tending to an acquired weakness and how long one should spend trying to heal their weaknesses.

This episode is packed full of useful, inspiring knowledge and we are so excited to share it with you!

Welcome to the first episode of TCM honoured by Your Tea. We can’t wait to do a deep dive into all things Chinese Medicine but before we do, we thought it was important to introduce you to the modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine, comprehensively. In this episode TCM Dr. Lee Smith covers all that Chinese Medicine is, from the energy principles of Qi, Shen and Jing to the tools a TCM doctor uses to balance the body such as acupuncture, herbs and cupping.

We cover it all in this episode, providing a solid foundation to the episodes that are to follow. Ever wanted to know more about Traditional Chinese Medicine? Wisdom awaits...